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Newsweek
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
The Vicious Campaign Against Meghan Markle Must End
When Meghan Markle posted a lighthearted video of herself dancing in a hospital room while nine months pregnant, she probably thought she was sharing a relatable moment that other mothers would appreciate. Instead, within hours, online trolls and conspiracy theorists weaponized it as "proof" she was never pregnant at all. This nightmare is what Meghan's life has become. Every joyful moment gets twisted into ammunition by people who've made destroying her their full-time job. And we need to talk about what this sustained cruelty has done to a woman whose only crime was falling in love with a prince. Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, speaks onstage during the 2025 TIME100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2025, in New York City. Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, speaks onstage during the 2025 TIME100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2025, in New York TIME The "moonbump" conspiracy, which claims Meghan faked both pregnancies with prosthetic bellies, represents a special kind of cruelty. Here's a woman who bravely shared her miscarriage story to help other women feel less alone in their grief. She opened up about one of the most painful experiences a person can endure, and how do these conspiracy theorists respond? By claiming her subsequent pregnancies were elaborate hoaxes. Imagine being nine months pregnant, your body aching, preparing to bring life into the world, and thousands of strangers are dissecting your every photo to "prove" your baby isn't real. Meghan revealed she was "the most trolled person in the entire world" in 2019 while pregnant with Archie. She's spoken about how the harassment drove her to thoughts of suicide. A pregnant woman was pushed to the edge of despair by people who found entertainment in her anguish. The recent dance video illuminates this persecution perfectly. Here's Meghan, trying to induce labor, sharing a funny, intimate moment millions of mothers can relate to. Within hours, it became Exhibit A in the conspiracy theorists' case against her. They zoomed in on her moving belly, claiming it proves she wore a prosthetic. They analyzed her IV line, suddenly becoming medical experts. They took a moment of joy and transformed it into a weapon. This isn't normal criticism. It's psychological torture designed to break someone's spirit. And the worst part? These aren't random acts of cruelty. They're coordinated, monetized, and amplified by people who profit from Meghan's pain. YouTube channels devoted entirely to "proving" Meghan's pregnancies were fake, generating millions of dollars. British tabloids have built entire business models around tearing Meghan apart, knowing that her name on a negative headline guarantees clicks and sales. Social media influencers discovered that attacking Meghan drives more engagement than any other content they produce. Hatred hasn't just become a business model; it's become an entire industry, with Meghan's suffering as its most profitable product. The online vitriol has translated into terrifying real world threats. Britain's former counterterrorism chief disclosed that Meghan faced "disgusting and very real" threats from far-right extremists during her time in the U.K. Security teams investigated numerous credible plots against her life. People have been prosecuted for threatening to kill her. While navigating motherhood as a new parent, Meghan simultaneously confronted vicious online conspiracy theories and lived under the shadow of genuine terrorist threats. Meghan once said the abuse was "almost unsurvivable." Think about that word: "almost." She survived, but barely. She got through it with therapy, with Harry's support, with sheer determination, but she shouldn't have had to survive anything. She should have been able to enjoy her pregnancies like any other woman. But the attacks don't stop with Meghan. Anyone who dares to publicly defend her becomes a target themselves. The message is clear: support Meghan Markle, and we'll come for you, too. The goal isn't just to hurt Meghan; it's to isolate her completely. They want her to look around and see no allies, no defenders, no one willing to brave the storm to stand with her. The social media platforms that host this hate bear responsibility. The tabloids that report on these conspiracies "for clicks" bear responsibility. But most of all, we as a society bear responsibility for allowing this cruelty to continue. Meghan Markle is a real person with real feelings who carried and delivered two real children. She's a mother who can't share her joy without it being weaponized against her. The moonbump conspiracy isn't just false. It's an act of sustained cruelty against someone who dared to join the royal family while being Black, American, and unwilling to suffer in silence. Somewhere tonight, Meghan might be looking at her children, the very children strangers claim don't exist, and wondering if she'll ever be free to share their milestones without unleashing a torrent of hate. These conspiracy theorists have participated in the theft of a mother's joy. If they can't find the conscience to stop this now, then we need to face the ugly truth about who we've become as a society. Because when a pregnant woman is tormented to the point of suicidal thoughts, when her pain becomes someone's profit and entertainment, a fundamental piece of our humanity has been lost, and that loss diminishes us all. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to Christopher Bouzy is an American tech entrepreneur who founded the non-partisan research firm Bot Sentinel and the social media network Spoutible. His ventures leverage innovative technologies to create safer digital spaces and promote authentic online discourse. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
The Citizen
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Unironed: Megan Markle's ‘Crumpled Chic' look leaves netizens outraged!
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, may have glided onto the stage at the 2025 TIME100 Summit with regal poise and her ever-supportive husband Prince Harry in tow — but it was her linen ensemble, not her luminous joy, that got the internet truly buzzing. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex speaks onstage during the 2025 TIME100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on 23 April 2025 in New York City. Picture:for TIME Meghan's 'Crumpled Chic' at the 2025 Times100 Summit this week. Reports from the Fashion Trenches: We take a look at the fashion fuss. The moment was golden: Meghan, in her first major public appearance of the year, opened up during her interview about her newfound joy, declaring, 'I never imagined I would feel this grateful at this point in my life, and I truly do.' She spoke of happy kids, loving partners (cue Harry's soft smile from stage left), and the everyday milestones of motherhood—including the news that five-year-old Prince Archie is about to lose his first tooth. Royal teeth and royal tears — sweet, right? But while Meghan shared her heartfelt moments, the fashion world was busy… having a meltdown. Slouchy Chic suit Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attends the 2025 TIME100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on 23 April 2025 in New York City. Picture:for TIME The Duchess stepped out in a beige-toned, linen Ralph Lauren pantsuit that was meant to scream 'quiet luxury' but instead whispered, 'I forgot to iron'. The suit—an almost sold-out piece from the designer's latest line—featured wide-legged trousers and a slightly oversized blazer. Think slouchy-chic meets boardroom brunch. But according to online critics, the only meeting happening here was between linen and chaos. The fit? 'Too baggy,' sniffed one fashion purist. 'Unironed and unimpressive,' said another. And one particularly savage comment declared: 'Sorry, Daily Mail, that is not chic. That's a crumpled, screwed-up mess and an insult to Ralph Lauren.' Ouch. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attends the 2025 TIME100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on 23 April 2025 in New York City. Picture:for TIME ALSO READ: Recipe of the day: Sweet potato and mince bake topped with egg Ann gets it right But before you clutch your pearls or your steaming wands, let's take a breath. Because in the same breathless scroll through fashion Twitter (or is it still X?), many netizens leapt to Meghan's defence. They labelled the look 'effortless,' 'on-trend,' and part of the growing wave of 'dad-pants domination,' where loose silhouettes and laid-back tailoring reign. Anne Hathaway attends the Ralph Lauren Collection Fall 2025 on 17 April 2025 in New York City. Picture:And let's not forget—just weeks ago, the ever-flawless Actress Anne Hathaway attended the Ralph Lauren 2025 Fall collection in a near-identical suit, adding distressed sequinned denim and a high ponytail for good measure. That look went viral for all the right reasons. (L-R) Lauren Bush Lauren, David Lauren, Anne Hathaway and Naomi Watts attend the Ralph Lauren Collection Fall 2025 on 17 April 2025 in New York City. Picture:So what gives? Turns out, Meghan was actually on the pulse of where 2025 fashion is going: structured softness. Office wear that lounges Jeanne Cadieu walks the runway for the Ralph Lauren Collection Fall 2025 on 17 April 2025 in New York City. Picture:Power suits that feel like pyjamas but photograph like prestige TV. And if your linen looks lived-in? That's a feature, not a flaw. (Although yes, Duchess, a handheld steamer wouldn't have hurt.) A model walks the runway for the Ralph Lauren Collection Fall 2025 on 17 April 2025 in New York City. Picture:) Meghan's fashion misstep—or moment, depending on your taste—tells us one thing: we're in the era where fashion is less about perfection and more about how confidently you carry the crease. A model walks the runway for the Ralph Lauren Collection Fall 2025 on 17 April 2025 in New York City. Picture:The new trend? Lived-in luxury. Corporate casual. And the slow, glorious revenge of wrinkled fabric. So while the duchess may not have won everyone's approval, she's aligned with a movement that says: Yes, I can slay a keynote in something that doesn't cut off my circulation. And that, dear reader, is fashion-forward—whether you like it or not.
Newsweek
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Meghan Markle Defends Flower Sprinkles After Backlash
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Meghan Markle commented on the furore over her use of flower sprinkles in her Netflix show. The Duchess of Sussex sprinkled edible flowers on a range of dishes and froze them into ice cubes to use in cocktails during episodes of With Love, Meghan, released in March. Some said they liked the trick while others ridiculed it, during heated debate that followed the cooking show. Meghan Markle speaks onstage during the 2025 TIME100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center, in New York City, on April 23, 2025. Meghan Markle speaks onstage during the 2025 TIME100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center, in New York City, on April 23, TIME What Meghan Markle Said About Flower Sprinkles Time CEO Jessica Sibley asked Meghan about the edible flowers, and the duchess replied: "It's like a little fairy, if I could just be tossing them around all the time. The obsession that has come with flower sprinkles I was not expecting. "Of all the things to be talking about for Time100, let's talk about flower sprinkles. But let's, because I think it speaks to the tiny moments of joy that are so effortless and just create a little bit of magic that we are all craving in our everyday. "They're tiny little flower petals that are dried. I started putting them on salads, I started putting them on scrambled eggs, it didn't actually matter, on a yoghurt parfait. "The level of charm that you find people have when they see these tiny little dried petals is something I can't wrap my head around but i appreciate that there is a love for the detail and the small level of delight that can be added. "So, take flower sprinkles really as an analogy and think about what you can do in your every day life that can have a little splash of magic on unexpected moments." Reaction to Meghan Markle's Flower Sprinkles Some of most biting criticism was on social media where Meghan was mocked for saying she "loved taking something pretty ordinary and elevating it." One user on X, formerly Twitter, posted a photo of fish and chips with flowers on top after the show's release in March and wrote: "Plated up my takeaway and elevated." The post was viewed 423,000 times and liked 5,000 times. Actress Justine Bateman replied: "Is this from Meghan Markle's new show?" Plated up my takeaway and elevated. — Parody Richard III's Ghost (@RichardIIIGhost) March 4, 2025 A review in British broadsheet The Daily Telegraph carried the headline: "What I've always wanted—a lesson from Meghan on freezing an edible flower inside an ice cube." The tongue-in-cheek article suggested Meghan was "freezing the cutest edible flower petals in ice cubes—then serving them in cocktails for your impossibly gorgeous friends! You have finally identified your USP and I wish you every success in living your best life for us all to endu... enjoy." A writer for New York Magazine's Vulture also appeared puzzled: "Meghan's science teacher Mr. Ben — who, she explains, passed away somewhat recently — taught her that some flowers make colorful, festive adornments on food. "So Meghan now puts flowers on everything: cake, donuts, crudité platters, rainbow fruit salad, frittata, and so on. These are known as 'flower sprinkles.' Flower Sprinkles? Look, I didn't come up with it." Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about Charles and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Catherine Coleman Flowers Accepts 2025 TIME Earth Award
Catherine Coleman Flowers speaks onstage during the 2025 TIME100 Summit on April 23, 2025 in New York City. Credit - Jemal Countess—Getty Images for TIME Catherine Coleman Flowers' hometown of Lowndes County, Alabama, is where she learned about environmental justice—and injustice—firsthand. 'I grew up walking through corn fields, sampling ears of corn, picking melons from vines, and eating plums and green apples off trees,' said the honoree at the 2025 TIME Earth Awards in Manhattan on April 23. But the rural landscape wasn't just idyllic, it was educational: there, she saw how inadequate infrastructure impacted rural development. Many of the homes in the area didn't have access to seemingly basic services like paved roads, drainage ditches, piped water, indoor plumbing, and a sewer system. And, she learned after setting up the Alabama Center for Rural Enterprise in 2002, the lack of adequate sanitation meant businesses weren't compelled to invest in the region. Many of the problems stemming from the county's sewage crisis only worsen with heavier rainfall and flooding brought about by climate change. Witnessing these issues motivated Flowers to advocate for change for more than two decades. She's worked with banking executives, public-health researchers, the Environmental Protection Agency, and politicians across the political aisle including Vermont democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders and Alabama Republican former Sen. Jeff Sessions. Flowers 'found that the most effective method for driving change isn't to tell people what these communities are dealing with, but to actually show them—often by literally bringing them to the neighborhoods that are affected most,' said Iraqi-American activist and writer Zainab Salbi, who presented the award. As a result of her advocacy, the Biden Administration announced in 2022 a federal program to provide assistance to more than two million people across the U.S. who lack access to clean running water and indoor plumbing as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. For that, Lowndes would serve as a pilot area. Flowers paid tribute not only to the lessons she learned from her environment but also to the people she grew up with. 'Listening to the conversations of the adults in my life who were deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement, I knew that justice was just around the corner, that we too have fought, died, and suffered to prove that we were part of the America we helped to build,' Flowers said. She pointed to her work building on that of generations before her as evidence of progress and to future generations as beacons of hope. 'I am the answer to my ancestors' dreams, hope personified. Not just my ancestors that are obvious, but the ancestors that entered what later became the United States of America, before it became a nation,' Flowers said. 'Like they fought for the right to live the American dream and the right to vote, I too fight for the future for my children and grandchildren and seven generations to come. My ancestors passed the torch to me, and at some point, I too will be passing that torch to my daughter and my grandchildren. … That is what gives me hope for the future of this planet.' TIME Earth Awards was presented by Official Timepiece Rolex and Galvanize Climate Solutions. Contact us at letters@
Time Magazine
24-04-2025
- Business
- Time Magazine
Business Leaders Discuss Finding Balance Between the Human and the Technological
Three leaders of companies that use—or advocate for using—artificial intelligence spoke in a breakout session at the 2025 TIME100 Summit about how to find the balance between human interaction and technological innovation as American consumers grapple with the rise of AI. At the event, Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings, a travel technology company which is parent to sponsor of the Summit—looked back at last year's TIME 100 gathering, when he advocated for incorporating AI into companies as long as it was done 'with a human touch.' This year, Fogel says that the acceleration of AI is both more exciting and more scary than ever before. Though does not yet have digital travel agents, Fogel says the company is 'very close' to this kind of AI application. 'I think that's both good and bad,' Fogel said. 'If it's able to do things more efficiently, make things better, make all of your experiences better, that's great. But as it continues to replace human labor, how do we deal with our societal changes?' The breakout session, titled 'Reimagining Innovation: Leadership in a Changing World,' was moderated by Edward Felsenthal, former editor-in-chief of TIME Magazine. Joining Fogel were Tim Cadogan, CEO of GoFundMe, and Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, CEO of accounting software company Xero. Cadogan— a 2025 TIME 100 honoree —said that the goal of GoFundMe, a crowdfunding platform where individuals can raise money for various personal or charitable causes, was to begin with the human stories of those asking for help, and to use technology to amplify those narratives. Research shows that it is hard to ask for help, Cadogan says, and he believes that technology can help individuals bridge that difficult gap and advocate for themselves. This includes creating prompts, headlines, and various 'smart suggestions.' Even with that, Cadogan said, 'authenticity is fundamental…You have to start with the personal story, and then you help through the technologies and bring that story out and articulate it, and then spread it as widely as you can. That's the balancing act; how do you get the right amount of the personal situation and then use the technology to help it become successful?' Cassidy, who, with Xero, provides accounting software to small businesses, says that AI is a 'net positive' and that it can help level the playing field for small businesses. She says that AI can be incredibly useful in helping small businesses remain competitive 'driver[s] of economies,' She did not, however, downplay the risks of the technology. 'Look, I am a believer that AI, like anything, is an enabler. But you know, you want to use it rather than have it do something to you,' she said. '[AI] does, I believe, let people explore all their potential, and leave the more routine and automated tasks to tools, and gives them back time.' All the same, Cassidy made sure to emphasize that a small business's brand cannot be faked with AI. When a brand is authentic, she said, 'you won't ever lose the promise of a brand, the promise of community, the promise of connection.' --- The TIME100 Summit convenes leaders from the global TIME100 community to spotlight solutions and encourage action toward a better world. This year's summit features a variety of speakers across a diverse range of sectors, including business, health and science, AI, culture, and more. Speakers for the 2025 TIME100 Summit include human rights advocate Yulia Navalnaya; Meghan, Duchess of Sussex; comedian Nikki Glaser; climate justice activist Catherine Colman Flowers; Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, and many more, plus a performance by Nicole Scherzinger.
